A goddess-topped water fountain in Chicago was created thanks to the dreams of a thirsty newsboy.

The perfect spot for a picnic, right next to a giant ballistic missile.

An enormous effigy of the goddess of compassion hides within the sanctuary.

The embalmed remains of the communist leader lie within a custom crystal coffin.

Stone shrouds of Prince Liu Sheng and Princess Dou Wan of the Han Dynasty, created to preserve their flesh for eternity.

These tiny statues form a terracotta army from China's Han dynasty.

An out-of-place slice of France, smack in the middle of Shanghai.

The once highest point in China blends symbolic design with a kick of adrenaline.

Home to over 200,000 artifacts, this museum attempts to guide visitors through the ancient history of Beijing and Imperial China.

This ancient Chinese observatory still contains early astronomy technology.

Ming Dynasty necropolis raided during the Cultural Revolution.

The ancient settlement attracts tourists from all over looking to learn about the Chinese vision of the afterlife.

The most famous location in China was home to whole dynasties worth of imperial rulers.

One of the most scenic stretches of road in America winds between some of the country's oldest trees.

A crumbling wizard is one of the final reminders of a roadside Middle Earth.

An optical illusion found amid a logged redwood forest.

This massive redwood tree has a hole in the base big enough to drive through.

This whimsical seashell-shaped place of worship was designed to blend into its surroundings.

A poignant memorial to a young boy whose death spurred a dramatic increase in organ donations in Italy—dubbed the "Nicholas Effect."

The southernmost outpost of the Russian Empire in colonial America.

A trash dump made beautiful by nature's power.

A monumental cross hides in the trees in Golden Gate Park.

The remains of a ruined mansion memorialize the 1906 earthquake.

A collection of memorabilia from the Beat era in the back of a San Francisco bookstore.